The Sparrow sings
by Smileylion
Summary: A visit on a strange planet brings Sheppard and his team to a mental asylum, where they are keeping a fifteen year old girl who claims to know everything about Atlantis. They return with her, but can she really be trusted? Set season 3.
1. Chapter 1

The Sparrow sings

The Sparrow sings

John prowled around the sides of the room. He was going to win this fight, even if was going to take him all night. His eyes betrayed true feelings of resentment and something much darker.

Ronan watched John circling the room as he mirrored his opponents moves. He had a slightly smug smile on his face, and absentmindedly twirled the Bantos rod in his left hand, but the other was still, poised for action. He suddenly launched himself at John, and saw the familiar surprise registered in the man's face.

John leapt aside just in time, otherwise he would have been hit on the head. And don't think he didn't know where the other rod was going to hit. That's the main reason he jumped away. Head bumps he could deal with, but he _might_ want to have children still one day!

Ronan twisted in mid-air and whacked John on the back and the stomach at the same time. Would John never learn? He went down like a ninepin, and lay on his side, in a little ball on the floor. "You," he gasped hoarsely, "you…couldn't give…me a…chance, could ya?"

Ronan leant his hand to John, who took it and hauled himself up with a mighty groan. "In a real battle…" he began, but John interrupted him. "Yeah, yeah. I know," he imitated Ronan's usual sentence "In a real battle there are no second chances. But this isn't a real battle. Couldn't you just…" he trailed off.

Ronan raised his eyebrows. "Couldn't I just what?"

John looked him in the eye. "Not hit me so damn hard?" he said grumpily.

Ronan gave a sideways smile. "Yeah."

"Will you?"

There was a long pause. "No," decided Ronan, darkly.

John made a face, and thrust his rods at Ronan's chest. "I'm going to find Teyla," he told him.

Ronan walked to the side of the room, and chucked a towel at John. "Why?" he said, placing the rods inside his gym bag.

John turned from the door. "So she can tell me how to kick your ass!" he retorted.

Teyla sat in the mess hall, warming her hands on a mug of coffee. John dropped into the seat opposite her. "Hi," he said cheerfully.

Teyla glanced up at his face. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of a bruise of his check. "What happened?" she asked him.

John stared at her blankly, until she reached over a pointed at the small bruise. "Oh!" he dropped his voice. "I've been sparring with Ronan."

Teyla nodded. "Oh, I see."

"Hey, you should see the other guy!" he lied proudly.

Teyla looked at him for a few seconds. "I did," she informed him.

John gave her a puzzled look. "How?"

Teyla smiled him, and waved to someone over his shoulder. He turned, and saw Ronan lounging in a doorway. He smiled smugly at John, who jerked his head in response.

Teyla smiled at John. He smiled reluctantly smiled back, tapping on the table with his fingertips.

"Is there something you wanted?" Teyla prompted him.

John lifted his head. "No, not really," he sighed.

Teyla nodded and got up. "We should be getting ready for our next mission."

John frowned in confusion. "Mission..."

"Our scheduled visit to M29-007," she explained, draining her cup, and making to leave.

John thought for a while. M29-007. Oh, the planet they had agreed to look around for trade negotiations. He remembered their leader; Yajoca. He was a swarmy, weasel of a man, McKay had liked him. John grimaced and pushed his chair back, following Teyla and Ronan.

They emerged from the Stargate on the other planet. It was in the middle of a park in the beating heart of giant city. John turned his stare upwards, and saw the silhouettes of the flying cars against the bright amber sky, with the sun and the moon shining brightly. This was his favourite time of day, sunset and moonrise.

Yajoca stepped forwards, wringing his hands. He was always wringing his hands. "Welcome," he gasped. He was the type of man who never spoke normally, he spoke in gasps and had a sickening smile on his wide-eyed, pale face. A slight wind ruffled his light grey hair, blowing tufts of it across his face. "Welcome, my friends," he repeated, breathily. "We must begin our tour soon, otherwise it will be very late when you leave us." He was treating them like children.

John shot a look at Teyla, who raised her eyebrows ever so slightly. _Don't do anything, John,_ her eyes seemed to be saying.

He wrinkled his face, and looked back at Yajoca. "Sure," he said with a small sigh. "Let's go and tour," he said quietly to his back. The man had already turned and began to walk away.

Rodney followed him eagerly, like a dog chasing a treat. John couldn't see how he could like him so much.

"This is the last part of our tour," explained Yajoca after about three hours. "I'm afraid this isn't a very nice place, but if we trade successfully, then I believe that you must know everything about our community.

John blinked sleepily. "Yeah," he said absentmindedly. "Sure. Where are we again?"

Yajoca shot him a nasty look, which John barely registered. "Our...Mental Hospital." he said quietly.

John's head jerked up from staring at the floor. "What!?" He looked around at the darkened walls, dripping with moisture. Hands and face were pressed against the bars of the cells. "Looks more like a prison."

Yajoca chose to ignore this remark, and noticed that Rodney had drawn closer to John.

"You are perfectly safe..." began Yajoca, but a small voice broke in.

"Colonel Sheppard?"

He turned and saw a pale face etched against the bars of a tiny window in a cell's wood door. He stopped, and took a step nearer to the person. "Who's in there?" he said sideways to Yajoca.

"That is.." Yajoca blocked his path. "That is 24601. She is one of the our worst patients."

"Colonel Sheppard," came the sweet voice again, like diamonds tinkling into a calm pool.

John looked over Yajoca's shoulder. "I want to see her."

"That is really not necessary." Yajoca tried to persuade him, but John side stepped him, and drew closer to the rusty metal bars that separated him from the strange little figure. Two eyes emerged from the darkness, two very pale blue eyes, so pale they were almost silver. A face, framed by shimmering strawberry-blonde hair. A kind, wandering smile widened ever so slightly at the sight of him. "It is you," the girl said gently. "I knew you would come."

"Let me in," ordered John. Yajoca opened his mouth, but John turned to him and stroked him gun ever so slightly.

Yajoca unfastened the lock with trembling fingers, and the door creaked open.

John walked into the claustrophobic room, wincing at the darkness. "Hello?" he said. The girl had crept into a corner at the sound of the door opening.

"We will not harm you," consoled Teyla, who had followed John inside. Rodney shuffled in, and then Ronan.

"Yes, you won't, Teyla," agreed the strange child.

"How did you know our names?" asked John.

"Oh, I know everything about you," continued she.

"How.."

"You are John Sheppard." the girl walked calmly out of the shadows. She couldn't have been more than fifteen. "You were married, but," she tilted her head, her eyes very wide. "It didn't work out, did it." She walked in between them. "You were offered the gift, but you turned it down." She walked in front of Teyla. "Brave leader," she almost whispered. "So many lives lost from you family. You carry on." It was Rodney's turn next. "You. Dr Rodney McKay. Petty, arrogant, bad with people. That's how you friend Samantha Carter described you when you were stuck inside the sinking Puddle Jumper. You too went straight to the threshold of receiving the gift, but you turned away. Were you afraid?" She smiled, and looked up at Ronan. "Specialist Ronan Dex. That's you, isn't it. Name and Rank. Your entire planet was destroyed, your friends, family, and..." She raised her hand, running it in front of Ronan's face. "Melina. Your true love. I'm so sorry it had to end that way, Ronan. Everything has to come to an end. I did not want it to end that way, though."

John was getting a bit creeped out at this point. "Alright," he said, breaking the spell. "How did you know all this stuff, and who are you?"

"I wouldn't ask that of her, if I were you, Colonel Sheppard," said Yajoca, sternly. "The last two people who asked that of her ended up in here." He gestured at the slimy walls.

"I'll be fine."

"John!" said Teyla, but he caught hold of her arm.

"I'll be fine," he repeated, and looked deep into her eyes. She nodded, and drew away.

"What, you're just going to let him?" cried Rodney, shrilly, but Teyla gave him a look that made him shut up.

The child smiled, and laid her hands on either side of John's face. She closed her eyes, and bright gold light began circling them, entwining them together.

John opened his eyes, to see they were standing in front of the Atlantis Gate. He looked around, startled. "Do not be alarmed," said a voice from behind him. "Why are we here?" he asked, staring at the girl.

"Just watch." she replied.

John saw that they were not alone, Ancients were milling around the control room above them. As he looked, several of them came trotting down the steps towards the Stargate. They stood and waited as the Gate dialled. John leapt to his left as the kawhoosh blew past him. The girl stood behind the Ancients. He saw that someone was going to come through the Gate. He watched as two men emerged dragging with them a girl. He saw that it was the very child that was standing behind the Ancients. She was dragged helplessly in front of the two main people. He recognised them. One was the woman from the hologram, and the other was another man, he guessed was from the council. "Struthea, you have been bought back to Atlantis from your given planet to face trail for experimenting, and creating life on other worlds, without our authorisation." the woman said loudly and clearly.

Struthea lifted her head, and John wouldn't have recognised her. Her eyes were blazing with fury, and she spat blood at the feet of the council members. "I am only guilty of giving life to others who deserved it." she croaked, with an insane smile on her face.

The woman nodded at the two guards, and they drew an evil looking rod of from behind them. John saw that it was like the one's the Goa'uld used for torture back in the Milky Way. He was right. The man jabbed in into Struthea's back, and light flowed out of her mouth and eyes as she screamed. John looked away at the real Struthea, and saw that she was smiling slightly. The dream Struthea fell to the ground, but was hauled to her feet again by the burly men.

"Do you admit it?" asked the woman calmly.

Struthea looked her straight in the eyes, and simply said "Yes."

The men dragged her upwards by the armpits, and she stared at the Ancients surrounding her. "I promise you," she hissed. "I will not go down easily. I will rise again, and when I do," she laughed shrilly. "You will regret what you did to me."

The woman smiled at her, but her smile was frozen in an instant. Struthea tilted her head back, and pulsing white light flowed around her broken, beaten body, lifting her into the air, high above the Ancients. She looked down at them, with her arms stretched wide and shrieked down at them. "I will return!" she screamed and twirled away into the light that encircled her lovingly.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

John shook himself out of his sticky reverie, staring up at the space where Struthea had enveloped herself in her own ascension. The Ancients around them melted, leaving just him and the strange, yet unearthly powerful child. She glided over to him, in a river of calmness. She touched him lightly on the arm, and there was a flash of blinding light, and they were standing on the pier of Atlantis. She looked at him with a slight smile on her face.

"That world you gave life to, that was the one we're on right now, isn't it?" John asked her, his mouth dry.

She nodded ever so slightly. "Yes, it was. The Ascended ones chained me to the planet to protect it from the Wraith. They thought it was fair, but I have been there for so many years," she closed her eyes and tilted her head on one side. "My chains grew ever tighter, until they began to choke me. The people assumed I was mad, and they locked me away from the prying eyes on the world." She opened her eyes, and stroked his hair. "I see so much of my ancestors, and of my former home. I saw you when you came through the Stargate from our last colony. I was there with you throughout all your struggles, but powerless too help, or even leave this planet." She smiled. "Now we must return to all that is real. To the cruel world I so foolishly gave life to."

John opened his eyes in the darkened cell, and for just a second, there was a flash of pure gold in his eyes, that was reflected in hers.

Rodney stared at John. He and Struthea had been standing in golden pools of light for nearly half an hour. He jumped when John opened his eyes, and pulled away from Struthea's soft, small hands. Her large silvery eyes opened and she stared at him for a minute or two, gave a deep sigh, and turned to Yajoca, who flinched. "I would like to be released, now," she informed him.

Yajoca jumped. "I'm afraid not, little Sparrow!" he spluttered indignantly. "You must not leave this world, or the others will..." he broke off, feeling their curious stares. "You would be too much of a risk to yourself and others." he hissed to her through gritted teeth.

John stepped forwards. "We'll look after her," he said loudly and clearly.

His team looked at him in amazement. "John..." warned Teyla.

"I trust her," admitted John, quietly. "If she could have killed, she'd have done it already, I know. And," he said, a thought suddenly, a thought occurring to him. "Won't Elizabeth want to meet a living, breathing Ancient?"

"How can we trust her?" growled Ronan, staring at Struthea suspiciously. She returned his dark glare coolly.

"Look, she's coming back with us, no objections, ok?"

The Atlantis Stargate closed down with a swish. Elizabeth trotted down the steps, seeing that John's team had returned with a visitor.

Struthea looked all around herself in amazement, or was it triumph? "At last," she breathed.

Rodney gave her a funny, but John didn't seem to notice. He walked over to Elizabeth, who was looking at the child suspiciously. "Elizabeth, this is Struthea. She's an Ancient," he announced, with a small smile.

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows at him. "Really?" she said sarcastically, taking in Struthea's tatty would-be-white dress, and the purple circles under her eyes.

"I am, Dr Weir," said Struthea gently. "I came from this place, but was banished unto the world that John Sheppard found me on."

Elizabeth opened her mouth in astonishment, and looked at John, startled. "How did she...how did you..." she stuttered.

Struthea smiled and laughed lightly. "I assure you Dr Weir, I will never harm you." She stepped forwards and looked her straight in the eye. "I promise," she whispered.

Elizabeth stared at her, and her eyes flashed golden. "Yes," she murmured, and turned to John. "John, please give our guest a tour of her old home."

While they were walking down a corridor towards guest quarters, Struthea slipped a small device out of her dress, and clicked a button. It beeped quietly, she smiled and followed John obediently down the rest of the way.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Ok, this is your quarters, if you need anything, then there's a guard outside," said John, opening the doors to a small dark room. There was a glorious view of the ocean turning and throbbing outside.

"Yes, this will be fine," replied Struthea, and walked in. "John, may I have a computer?"

"Why?" asked Rodney, coming round the corner clutching a laptop.

"I would like to see what became of my city after I left it," she told him, coldly.

Rodney opened his mouth indignantly, but John gave him a very warning look, and he shut it, looking confused.

"That's fine," said John kindly, and snatched Rodney's laptop. He reached for it, but John glared at him again.

Struthea smiled smugly at Rodney, which surprised him. She hadn't come across as a smug sort of person, but she was becoming very different to the vulnerable, quiet girl they had met so little time ago.

"I'm, uh, going to go find Teyla," muttered Rodney and shot out of the door.

The smile vanished from Struthea's face. "Follow him," she commanded John as if she was a queen. "Follow him where ever he goes, and Teyla and Ronan." She sighed. "They could ruin my entire plans," she murmured. She looked at John, who still hadn't moved. "Go!" she ordered impatiently, and he strode out of the door.

Teyla was sparring when Rodney found her. "Teyla!" he shouted over the clacking of sticks.

She turned, holding up a hand to Ronan, who smiled slightly and walked over to Rodney.

"What is the matter, Rodney?" she asked, panting.

"Struthea," he said shortly.

Teyla exchanged looks with Ronan. "Why?"

Rodney looked around suspiciously. "Well, first of all, she seems to have John under some sort of spell, and she wants to look on the Database about "what happened to Atlantis after she left"!" he lowered his voice. "I don't think she is what she says she is."

Teyla thought. "I agree," she half whispered with her hands on her hips. "Both Dr Weir and John have been acting very strangely."

Ronan looked mutinous. "I don't trust her," he growled.

"You don't trust anyone," quipped Rodney.

Ronan shrugged and gave a wicked smile.

Struthea typed on the keyboard with determination. The computer bleeped crossly. She tried again, but when it happened she let out an bitter shriek and threw the keyboard at the wall. She walked over to the door, her hands balled into fists at her side. She opened it, and kicked the guard round the head so that he collapsed. She grabbed the stunner her held, and stalked off down the corridor.

She drew the small device out of her dress, and pressed a button twice. Almost immediately Elizabeth and John came running down the corridor behind her. "Come," she ordered and walked angrily down the corridor. "You're friends are getting to be quite a nuisance Colonel Sheppard," she hissed at him. "Dr McKay has blocked the Database to all the laptops."

"Got her!" Rodney grinned at Teyla. "She can't access the database at all!"

"Well done Rodney," said Teyla distractingly, watching the doorway with Ronan. "Now what?"

Rodney paused. "We stop her from doing what she's trying to do."

Teyla looked at him. "And what would that be?" When there was silence she frowned at him. "Rodney..."

"Look, I don't know!" he snapped. "Whatever she is doing she's being very secretive about it..." he was interrupted from his rant by a beep from the computer. "Oh no no no!" he clicked desperately on the keyboard, but nothing happened.

"What is it?" asked Ronan from the doorway.

"She's accessing the ZPM room," Rodney began, but stopped talking when the lights went off in the room, and in the corridor outside. "I, uh, think she's cutting off the power."

Struthea removed the ZPM from it's chamber and placed it carefully in the box that John was holding for her. She then walked over to the wall and pressed a panel, that slid out at the touch of her fingertips. She replaced one of the main crystals with a crystal from the little device she was carrying. The power came on, along with the cities shields.

Chuck sat in the control room, spinning absentmindedly on his chair. He waved at Dr Zelanka, who was running some tests. He was distracted by a beeping from the consol he was sat at. "What!" he breathed.

Outside the shield rose majestically around the city, and then collapsed in a tremor of golden light.

Chuck, everyone in the control, and in the corridors outside and in the ones that entwined their way around the city fell to the floor in a heartbeat. Golden dust rose from their bodies like water vapour, and swished down the room, through the walls, and across the city into the panel where Struthea was standing, an evil smile on her face, which was lit by the glow of dust streaming into the crystal she had so carefully placed inside the wall.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Rodney groaned and rolled over on the floor of the lab. He sat up, rubbing his back and head, and looked around himself. Teyla lay beside him, her arms sprawled across her body, and Ronon was slumped against the wall.

Rodney gritted his teeth and pulled himself up, using the table as help. "Teyla," he whispered, his mouth dry.

Teyla didn't stir. There was a nasty bruise on her head, leaking blood down her face. He grimaced and stumbled around the lab, looking for a plaster or...something. He knocked over a beaker, that fell and smashed to the floor. Ronon jerked his head up, shook his head, as if trying to grasp something. "McKay?" he asked quietly.

Rodney jumped, and looked over to him. Why was it so dark in his lab? Why couldn't he remember anything apart from who he, Teyla and Ronon were? "Ronon?" he hissed.

"What happened?"

"I don't know, but Teyla's hurt, I don't think she can move."

Ronon stood, swaying, and shuffled over to him. "Yeah, that's bad," he agreed, rubbing his forehead.

"You think?" said Rodney sarcastically, and felt better.

Ronon stared at him. "We need to get her to the...the..."

"Infirmary?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, you get her legs..." Rodney began, but Ronon had already scooped her up as she was made of paper.

"Let's go," he decided, and Rodney grabbed his laptop and Teyla's P90, and they crept out of the room.

Struthea smiled at the people in the control room, who stood like soldiers at her command. She walked between them, over to the consol and pressed a few buttons. Two pictures came on the screen, another girl, and a boy. She grinned, and beckoned Elizabeth and John over to her. "Come," she said gently. "Look at them, they were my partners, and my friends. They poured their souls into that project, and were killed by the ones we called family." She looked at Elizabeth. "You will harbour them, so that they may live again. That's all I want. For them to live and see what we have made. Together."

Elizabeth stood on the platform that had risen from the floor. John looked as though he was struggling with an emotion. Struthea ignored him, and typed a few words into the computer. Bright white light filtered down from the ceiling and entwined around Elizabeth's body. She jerked horribly, and screamed in pain, but Struthea didn't hear her. Her face was riveted on Elizabeth's face. The light faded, and Elizabeth remained on the platform. She swayed, and almost fell, but John grabbed. She shook him off angrily.

"Muris?" asked Struthea shakily.

Elizabeth raised her head from looking at herself, confused. "Struthea?" Elizabeth (or Muris, as we should now call her) asked suspiciously.

Struthea nodded, stunned. "It has been too long, dear friend," she whispered, and the two embraced.

"Why are we in the city of the Ancients?" asked Muris.

"We are carrying out the final stages of our plan," she told her. "John, you must know undergo the transformation." Struthea was holding both of Muris's hands, and standing opposite her. She looked at John with shinning eyes. "Please."

John nodded dumbly, and inside he could feel a little voice screaming at him to run, and never turn back.

Rodney peered around the corner leading into the Infirmary, and could see no-one. "Come on," he whispered, but Ronon stopped him. "What?" he hissed, but Ronon shushed him, and pecked round the corner himself. A person appeared, creeping around the room. Ronon passed Teyla's weak body to Rodney, who staggered under the sudden weight.

Ronon grasped the handle of his gun, and leaped around the corner, pulling his gun out and aiming it at the same time. Rodney heard a gasp, and Ronon's deep voice saying, "It's ok McKay, you can come out."

Rodney struggled into the Infirmary. Dr Carson Beckett stood there, his hands in the air, and a terrified look on his face. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" he hissed in his gentle Scottish voice.

Rodney indicated Teyla, and Carson leapt into action. "Put her on the table," he ordered, and Rodney carefully placed her down. "What happened to you two?" asked Carson quietly, treating Teyla bloody head.

"One minute I was in my lab, the lights had come on for a second, and the next I was unconscious on the floor in the darkness," explained Rodney, somewhat lamely.

"The same thing happened to me too!" exclaimed Carson. "Do you know what caused it?"

Rodney sighed. "No, but I have a pretty good idea who it could have been."

John stood on the platform, staring at Elizabeth's animated face. His befuddled brain couldn't grasp the situation properly. He couldn't remember really who he was, or how he got there. Or why he was there, for that matter. All he could remember was a feeling when he looked at her face...

He didn't have time to work out anything after that, for Struthea activated the machine, and his sight was blurred by a white light, and his ears blocked by a terrible, horrifying screaming that he knew was coming from his own mouth. He didn't know what was worse, the feeling that his body and soul was being torn, or the knowing that he could never look upon that chestnut-haired, brown eyed woman's face. He couldn't even remember her name.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"So, what do you think she did?" asked Carson, fixing Teyla's bandage. It had already got dirty, and the wound wouldn't stop bleeding. He was looking worried, but trying to hide it.

"What?" Rodney's head snapped up, and Ronon gave him a disapproving look from the doorway. "Oh, right, well, from what I can get from this thing," he held up his laptop, "she's saving a lot of Data in the city's mainframe via a source that I can guess she keeps with her."

"How do you know she's got it with her?"

"Well, I looked on the city's cameras, and look what I found." He turned the screen so that Carson could see it. He leant forwards, and could see a grainy video of Struthea slipping out a small device, and checking it.

"See? Now, I think..." Rodney was cut off by a frantic beeping coming from the laptop. "What? Oh now why is she doing that!?" he muttered, and snatched it away from Carson.

"What, what is it?" he hissed, but Rodney ignored him.

"There was an energy surge in the control room," he explained quickly.

"Well, can't you patch into the security cameras?"

"Yes, what do you think I'm doing!" Rodney typed on the keyboard, and Carson shuffled so he could see.

Elizabeth was standing in the middle of a crowd of people, all staring blankly at her. She screamed, and the camera cut off. Rodney stared desperately at the grey fuzz on the screen.

"What was that?" whispered Carson.

"I dunno, but it doesn't look pleasant."

John's head snapped forward, and he stared at Struthea and Muris.

"Iepus?" breathed Struthea, and Muris grinned gleefully.

"Struthea? Muris?" asked John, his voice hoarse.

Struthea's face lit up with a smile like the sun shinning on the sea around Atlantis. "Yes," she whispered.

John stepped lightly down from the platform, and looked around himself. "Atlantis?" he inquired.

"Yes," answered Muris.

John half smiled, and glanced at the corner.

"We have much to discuss," said Struthea, stepping aside to make a path for Muris and John. "Shall we?" She swept out of the control room. Muris smiled at John, and followed her. John stared at the corner, looking directly at the security camera.

"Did you see that?" Rodney sat up straight, staring at the picture being transmitted by the camera.

"What?" asked Carson, peering at the screen.

"He..." Rodney tapped the rewind, and zoom in buttons. "Look!"

They could clearly see John's face, looking at them through the camera. He narrowed his eyes, and then...

"Oh my god..." breathed Carson, "did he just...?"

Rodney caught his eye. "Yes," he whispered. He looked scared, and happy at the same time. His mouth was sideways in surprise. "He winked at us."

John turned away from the camera. He could feel the strange boy inside his head. Iepus, he had heard Struthea call him. He was so weak, just strong enough to stop him from getting in for those precious few seconds. He...had...to stay...for Elizabeth's...sake. He grimaced, and his vision blurred. He...must stay...must...save...her...

John's head fell forwards, and when he looked up, there was look of such contempt on his face. "Not yet," he hissed to himself, and stomped out of the room.

"So," said Carson, leaning back in his chair. "How do we..." he looked up in shock. Footsteps were coming closer to the room. Why hadn't he heard it before? "Rodney!" he hissed, and ducked under the table, pulling Rodney down with him.

"What?" complained Rodney, but stopped when he heard the ever increasing noise. "Ronon!" he whispered, and beckoned frantically. Ronon turned, and in that precise second, a bullet whizzed past and hit the heart monitor in a shower of sparks. "Run, McKay, run!" he yelled, and shot at the assailants.

Rodney grabbed Carson's arm, and they ducked and dived out of the Infirmary to a nearby, safe corridor. "Wait! What about Teyla!" cried Carson, and made to go back, but Rodney stopped him. "To them, she's already dead."

Carson looked at him, confused and upset. "What?"

"Look, Carson, trust me," Rodney looked at him pleadingly.

"Welcome back my dear friends," said Struthea, smiling down at the two people who were hosting her former partners. They looked back at her with adoring, wide eyes.

"As, you can see, we are back in the city of our fathers, and luckily, the sisters we left behind have been keeping our project safe from the others."

Iepus (formerly known as John) raised his hand. "Sister, why have we not been contacted sooner? I thought we agreed..."

"Iepus, I know!" snapped Struthea, and sighed, regaining her composure. "I was...indisposed to call you sooner."

Muris blinked, and stood. "How long will we be able to last in these bodies, sister? My heart is pounding and my head hurts." She held a hand up to her forehead worriedly.

"Oh, by the ascended ones, stop over-reacting!" cried Struthea, throwing her hands up in the air. "You are fine, Iepus is fine, I am fine, everyone is fine!" Struthea leant over the table, her head bowed. "Oh I wish I could have saved someone else in the database," she muttered.

Ronon sat alone in his cell, staring at the walls that shimmered every time he tried to pound his way out. His fists were bleeding, and his head was whirling. God, he hoped McKay had enough sense to run when he told him to. The doors hissed open, and in walked the last person Ronon wanted to see. John ordered the guards to leave, leaving him alone with Ronon.

"Ronon," stated John, walking round and round his cell.

Ronon stood and turned on the spot, watching his every move. "You're not Sheppard."

John laughed coldly. "No, what would make you think I was?" he said.

"Nothing." Ronon sat down again. "Because Sheppard is twice the man you'll ever be."

John eyes widened. He came closer to the cell. "What makes you say that?" he hissed.

"You can't survive on your own. Sheppard is your only hope for survival, and you have to steal everything you need." Ronon came face to face with John. "You have to rely on him to breath, see, even walk."

John's eyes narrowed, and Ronon saw a flicker in them. "I know you're still in there Sheppard," he whispered. "Be strong, we all need you."

John's face contorted with fury. "No, you are not coming out!" he hissed. His head fell forwards, and he was still.

"Sheppard?"

John looked up with bleary eyes. "Ronon?" he said croakily.

Ronon smiled. "Yeah."

"Watcha doing in there?"

Ronon rolled his eyes. "Trying to rescue you," he explained patiently.

John looked around. "Looks like you the one needing rescuing. Isn't that right, you damsel in distress?" He walked over to the wall and typed in the code to open the doors. The doors hissed open, and Ronon smiled darkly at John. "There, now where are the others? Were they affected..." he spluttered into silence as Ronon ran at him and pinned him against the wall.

"Whoa! What are you doing?" he hissed.

"I can't tell if it's really you, Sheppard," growled Ronon. "What is Sheppard's favourite musical artist?"

"Johnny Cash," gasped John, struggling for air.

"What's his favourite movie?"

"Princess Bride, would you let me go!"

Ronon released him, and John stood back, massaging his throat, and glaring at Ronon. "Was that really necessary?" he said grumpily.

Ronon said nothing, and went to retrieve his gun from the wall.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Carson crept back to where Rodney was sat. "There are no patrols to speak of," he whispered, holding his gun close to his chest. "When are you going to enlighten me on this plan of yours?"

Rodney unzipped his pocket and took out a power bar, unwrapped it, and shoved it into his mouth. "Soon, I swear," he said, his voice muffled from the food inside.

"Sometimes, Rodney, I think you like being stuck in these situations," sighed Carson.

Rodney gave him a hurt look. "Only when I have an amazing, and if I do say so myself, brilliant plan to help me out me out."

Carson rolled his eyes. "So, what is it?"

Rodney leant forwards. "Ok, chances are you won't understand, but here it is..."

Struthea sighed deeply, and went to get a cup of water. After listening to Muris argue with her helper for about half an hour she needed a drink. She turned, and saw Iepus standing in the corner behind her. "What are you doing here?" she hissed. "You were supposed to be interrogating the prisoner!"

"I know," Iepus's voice was cold and gruff. She looked at him, confused, but didn't have enough time to think, because she saw Ronon coming up behind Iepus.

"What is the meaning of this!" she said angrily.

"Sorry, Struthea, but your plans fell through," John smiled at her.

"What have you done to Iepus?"

"He's gone. Ronon helped me beat him. He went away kicking and screaming, if it makes you feel better." John nodded at Ronon, and he hit Struthea over the head with the butt of his gun.

"Nice one," John said proudly to Ronon. "Come on, let's go tell McKay his wondrous plan worked."

"What!" yelped Carson, but was shushed by Rodney. "And you couldn't have told me that was your plan all along!"

"You weren't supposed to be a part of it," Rodney said to him grudgingly. "Me, Ronon and Teyla had it all worked out."

"And part of you "plan" was for Teyla to have a serious head injury?"

"Well, no, but..."

"Or for Ronon to get captured?"

"Yes!" said Rodney proudly. "See, we knew that John was strong enough to overcome anything Struthea could dose out."

Carson looked at him in shock. "And what if he wasn't?"

Rodney bit his lip. "Then we're all screwed," he said quietly. "But it's ok now, I mean, Ronon just radioed me telling me he's got Struthea's device and John's alright." He smiled in relief at Carson. "We're good to go."

"So, what is it?" asked John, looking through Rodney magnifying glass.

"Well, I think..."

"Think?"

"Ok, know then, but it's a like a memory stick, and it contains the, well...soul of everyone in Atlantis."

"Soul?" said John disbelievingly.

"Look, there was an energy spike a few hours ago, and if you look then..." Rodney tapped some keys. A video feed came up of Struthea placing a crystal into the slot in the ZPM room.

"Oh my god," Carson breathed. "You mean that everyone in Atlantis is in that thing?"

"Yeah, including Elizabeth." John felt like he was falling, down, down, trying to grasp something that was like smoke. "We have to get her outta there!"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Struthea flicked a few buttons on a consol in the control room. Her lips were pursed, and her eyes narrow. In short, she was annoyed. Iepus had vanished, she had been knocked out and Muris was more interested in one of the Marines than in how hurt she was. She hadn't felt this betrayed since Celare had let word leak out of her work to the Ancients. She wrinkled her nose at the thought of Celare. He had been one of her most trusted suppliers back on Atlantis, and he had changed sides so fast it had made her head spin. It seemed like everyone she thought were her friends had begun to betray her.

On the screen, a series of numbers and letters flashed up for a few seconds, but she didn't even notice. A tear had slipped down her check, and she was trying not to show that she was crying.

"Ok, we're good to go!" cried Rodney, zipping around the room, pressing buttons, and plugging the device into several computers.

Ronon and John looked both ways before creeping out of the lab. Carson followed, a gun trembling in his hands. Last came Rodney, looking exited and completely oblivious to the danger. "We need to go to the ZPM room," he whispered, and John turned left.

The ZPM room was completely dark, with the faint glow of the ZPM in it's plinth. Rodney calmly touched a panel on the wall, and ever so gently removed the crystal that Struthea had put there. He quickly substituted it with the prototype clutched in his hand. Purple lightning crackled over the wall, rose to the ceiling and up through the tower of Atlantis.

Elizabeth blinked. Where was she? She was in the Control Room, standing next to...Struthea? The girl turned, saw her scared eyes, and reacted instantly. She spun around, and would have kicked her, but Elizabeth ducked, and stumbled against a consol. Struthea punched her, but Elizabeth grabbed her arm and pulled down sharply. Struthea went down, Elizabeth went up.

Struthea flicked her blonde hair out of her eyes. Elizabeth put up her fists, but to her surprise, Struthea was knocked out from behind. Teyla stood behind her, a long pole grasped in her hands, and one eyebrow raised.

Struthea opened one eye sluggishly. She saw Dr Weir standing at the DHD, with Teyla beside her. Struthea almost smiled, she had locked the system. She crept up, bending down to get the pole that Teyla had dropped. With one swift motion she knocked out both of them. Good thing they were the only two in the room. She bent over the consol, dialling quickly.

John rushed to the Gate-room, just as it activated. Struthea turned and looked at him through the folds of a long white cloak.

He raised his P90, aiming at her, and said "You're not getting out of here alive, Struthea!"

She smiled, lowered the hood of her cloak and dropped it to the ground. It fluttered down her legs and onto the silent floor. "I wouldn't try and stop me if I was you," she whispered.

John didn't move.

Struthea sighed, lifted her hands, palms upwards and closed her eyes. Golden, pulsating light flowed from her hands, zoomed into John and knocked him off his feet. He slammed against the wall, to the sound of some-one screaming. He picked himself up, but Struthea strode over to him, and lifted him up by his collar as if he was a rag-doll. Her face was grim, and her eyes narrowed. She flung him aside, and he crunched onto the stairs. He cried out, and tried to move his arm holding his gun, but it dangled uselessly. It was broken. His vision began to cloud, and he was dimly aware of the sound of the gate dialling, and of Struthea standing over his crumpled body, squaring up to finish him off.

A slight wind ruffled his hair as the gate activated. He looked up in time to see Struthea with her hands in the air, her mouth wide open and her hair blowing forwards in the breeze. The kawoosh was behind her, making her appear to glow. How could he ever have thought that he could beat an Ascended being?

Between her hands, a flicker of electricity formed, growing into a bright blue lightning blot that crackled and fizzed. She was about to bring it down, but...

"Enough," said a stern voice from behind her, and there stood Yajoca, dressed in a full white robe. White light rose from the ground, lifting him into the air and carrying him over to Struthea.

Her face was white, terrified, but angry at the same time. "Celare," she breathed. She to rose into the air, white light tenderly encircling her slim form.

He lifted his hands, and she (barely recognisable now, as she was in her ascended from) zoomed towards his form, a bolt of red-gold energy. He took it, and electricity shot from the tangled forms, hitting the walls, and bouncing back again.

John lifted his head, and saw Struthea's face staring down at him from her great height. For a moment she looked almost sorry, but he blinked and she had gone. Celare's form enveloped her's, and with a pitiful scream, she vanished.

John's head lolled to one side, and he was conscious just to see Celare looking down at the sparkles that rained down from where Struthea had fought her last great battle. And lost.


	8. The Last Chapter

The Last Chapter

The Last Chapter

Elizabeth stood on the balcony outside, looking out over the ocean and dreaming. She had so little time to dream now, and only one thing to dream about... Her thoughts were broken off by the sound of the door swishing open. John walked in, his arm in a sling and smiling, but distantly.

"Hey," he said gruffly.

"Hi," she replied. "How are you doing?"

He shrugged one shoulder. "Fine."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Ok, I'm a little creeped out by the whole thing," he admitted. "To just...be so vulnerable, you know? It just..." he trailed off.

"I know." said Elizabeth. "I had that...girl inside me, and it just made me realise..." she turned and looked at him. "How important things are here to me, and how if I loose them..." she looked back at the ocean. "I can never replace them."

John sighed slightly, and leant on the balcony railing. "I know how you feel," he admitted. "If I lost my team, or any of you guys here, I'd really be bummed."

Elizabeth looked at him, a smile playing round her lips. "Yeah," she said quietly.

He slapped the rail, and made to go, but Elizabeth said "John, you know I am glad you survived."

He nodded. "Hey, you dialled the gate!"

She grimaced, "I told Teyla not to say anything."

He smiled. "Well, thanks." He coughed.

She smiled back. "Anytime, John." She watched him go. "Anytime," she breathed sadly. She stayed like that, looking over the ocean, and began to dream again...


End file.
